POSTGAME NOTES: “It’s a great way to finish.”

I’ll never forget the scene last October, as the Giants fell behind 0-2 in the National League Division Series. AT&T Park ushers roamed the aisles, hugging season ticket holders and saying their goodbyes.

Of course, they were all back in the same spot a week later, having traded the Reds for the Cardinals. On Sunday, ushers were again offering hugs and looking to 2014.

This time, that’ll hold up.

The Giants are done, 76-86 and tied for third place with a San Diego Padres squad that spends less money, has less talent and couldn’t realistically be expected to contend. These Giants were supposed to be in the mix, but they’ll be watching from home this October, spread across the country. Until February, the Giants will be everywhere from Miami to Lufkin, San Francisco to St. Louis, Scottsdale to Chicago.

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There’s no way to keep this momentum going when you’re spread across the country for months at a time. It’s hard enough to keep it going for a day, as the Reds and Cardinals can tell you. But the Giants walked out of AT&T Park on Sunday honestly believing they can build on this.

They went 20-14 after August 24 and finished with wins in 10 of the final 15 games.

“This game was a great way to go into the offseason,” Pence said. “One of the goals during the rough times was to dig a little deeper and find a way to get momentum again. I think we did that.”
Pence’s walk-off hit was his first as a Giant and clinched a 12th walk-off for the club. They’ve gotten used to the kidney punches, sprays of water and turkey taps.

“We never give up,” Brandon Crawford said. “We definitely had a rough year, but I think the last month we played well. That says a lot about our team.”

— There were two really great moments today in front of another sellout crowd. Bryan Stow was here, stunning the fans and even the Giants. I don’t know how he’s doing health-wise, but he looked good, and he waved to the fans and kept saying “thank you.” Steve Berman did a nice job of summarizing the Stow sighting.

“If I had to strike out in my final at-bat, I’m glad it was against a former teammate whom I respect and love,” he told reporters. “I’m happy for Barry. It was a special moment for both of us. I texted him and he responded. He said, ‘Man, that was gnarlier than the World Series. I love you my brother. I have so much respect for you. I love that it was us together out there. See you soon.’”

I try to stay out of the opinionated stuff and just present the facts as often as I can. But behind the scenes, Zito, man, he handled the last two years as well as you possibly could. He deserved a day like this.

— Crawford has an oblique strain and Gregor Blanco has a sprained ankle. Both are headed for MRIs. Blanco said he was pretty scared when Angel Pagan rolled over his ankle, but he got good news. X-rays were negative.

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— Brian Wilson, professional baseball player, talked to the L.A. Times about the weird confrontation after Thursday’s game, saying in part: “I’m not asking America to understand. I don’t play games. I handled the situation. It’s over with. It’s squashed.”

— Plenty more to recap and I have a lot left in the notebook. But that’s enough for tonight, the last of a long, long season. Not as long as last season, but still, loooooong. Maybe they’re all this way on the baseball beat.

I’ll be back over the next few days with some other posts (posts, not threads!). I sincerely thank all of you who have stopped by the blog this season, followed on Twitter, read our website, picked up the paper, etc. It means more than you could know. Seriously, thank you all.

Thanks for putting up with us… The young guy usually being the most mature of the bunch. Have a good off season. (After ” year in review”)

SurfCity

Thanks Alex, nice post game report. Thanks for the entire season of work from you and Carl and Dan. Looking forward to your wrapups over the next week and coverage of any off season move by the Giants

ClutchUp

Like Surf said THANKS for a great sophmore year by YOU! Great reporting on the road trips and the Homestand!

JD4SF

Well done, Alex, as usual. I look forward to reading more blog posts from you during the postseason and off-season, then firing up again for Spring Training. Thinking positive for 2014!

Bapah

Well done, Alex. Especially for a whipper snapper. -30-

Fortress Keeper

You’re welcome Alex! Great job covering a demanding beat!

paul in p.v.

Gracias Alex, Carl et al. for all of your hard work which for sure we sometimes take for granted. snorkel

paul in p.v.

p.s. Foots – how about that Frankie Pegs!?! Also, I really admired the way Johnny Monell took one for the team. What a fantastic finish for everyone that was out there screaming their fookin’ heads off. gilligan

DrLefty

I really, really must thank the former student who came by my office on Tuesday and surprised me with a gift of two tickets for today’s game.

Wow, it was something. A battle for third place at the end of a frustrating season, and it was freakin’ magic out there.

Bryan Stow in the house, looking thrilled as we gave him a standing ovation.

Zito…wow, was that special.

Pegs’s first home run (and I enjoyed it even more after hearing Blanco’s not seriously injured).

Pence, the hero–and the walk-off!

The crowd was electric, enthusiastic, and loving. What a great way to go into the off-season.

DrLefty

It’s been 13 years, and I still can’t get over how stunning this place is…took this picture mid-afternoon, near the end of the game.

South City Jim

I guess you didn’t win the car. Oh well. You saw one heck of a game in any event. We’ll get ‘em next year. Christmas list: Timmy, Lopez, FA starter and a LF’er. Sabes is working on it.

ClutchUp

Lefty? You didn’t win the car?

Anyway how about Mike Morse from Baltimore for LF in 2014 for SF?
6-7 inn then Perez in for D?

DrLefty

Nope. I drove to the game in my 2005 Mazda3, and that’s what I drove home in. However, I did get to meet Marty Lurie at the Public House patio before the game, and he gave me a pack of Giants trading cards (extra from a giveaway day this season).

Mike Morse is a good hitter and a bad outfielder. If they got him, maybe he plays 1B and Belt goes to LF.

Morse is supposed to be a great guy, and the Nats fans are still bitter about him being dumped before this season. They feel like that and bringing in Soriano as closer really hurt team chemistry.

Looks clear to me, ‘average-ish’ offense with elite pitching (our Gold Standard) is the formula that works here in SF.

We certainly have the ability to hold ‘elite’ status in team pitching, but there will be turnover this year. Swapping out Zito’s 4.62 ERA should allow us to improve. Tough to tell what Cain will project to and Vogey/Lincecum if returning. And how good will our #3 signing be? Our bullpen has a couple spots, and they’ll need proper attention. What about Affeldt in 2014?

As terrible as our offense has been, we’ve turned around from worse than 21st in RS to win each of our World Series the next year. And our pitching? I expect Cain back on track, Zito is gone… We’ve got a real opportunity to rebuild the middle of our rotation back into our strength.

Yeah, you’re right. I may have expressed this in a way that’s a bit confusing. I used his Giants career ERA. Why? I guess I was thinking of the ‘overall’ picture as I was composing this. I was thinking how, “even with Zito, we had the best pitching in baseball from 2009-11.” Things like that were crossing my mind.

Looking at it, how I wrote it makes no sense. I appreciate your correction.

Cheers.

thecove

Thanks for all the work you do to keep us informed Alex. Seriously, this blog is the first thing I read with my morning coffee at work or at home. Have a great offseason!

Eleuthero

“Dream big. Dream GIANT.” What the hell, Carmot? Are you 14 years old? And even if you were it’d be a lot more satisfying if you “dreamed” about people who are more important than g*d d*amned sports players.

The Oracle

I’d also like to thank Alex. He’s clearly the hardest working and best Giants beat writer. This blog adds a great deal to my enjoyment of the baseball season. Some of my friends follow the Giants, but none as closely as I do, so I very much enjoy being able to listen to and communicate with my “friends” here, nearly all of whom know who Cody Hall is. I guess it’s like a support group for those suffering from a Giants addiction. So thanks as well to those who contribute their thoughts here, including those with whom I usually disagree. I find nearly all of it entertaining.

I’m also entertained by trying to imagine what kind of people are behind these user names. Mostly genuinely good, I imagine. How much can you tell about anyone by their contributions here? I’m guessing most of my favorites are the kind of people who would make good neighbors (Matthew, Paul, SCJ, Bapah, E-B and many others). I’d put CC and CU in this category as well, and I appreciate their technical baseball knowledge. And of course, blog MVP Lefty. Foothills too, although he might like tweaking you every now and then. You’d probably see the always sincere Carmot’s lights on all night as he unearths incredible amounts of information about every player in every organization. I don’t know what to make of MLBSF. You might want to make sure the kids stay off of Woj’s lawn.

So a big thanks to you all. I won’t really watch the post season, because I only watch the Giants, but I look forward to the arguments here about the off season moves. It’s tough when Breaking Bad and the season both end on the same day, but fortunately Giants Extra goes year round.

Footasaurus Rex

give that kid an A

Footasaurus Rex

Did the O’s trade for him? He didn’t help them get over the hump. That’s over 2/3 of game’s worth of bad defense. His bat isn’t good enough to overcome.

2holehitting

You are missing the fielding and runs allowed per game add a half a run tot hat 4.00 ERA and you can see the Gold standard of pitching and fielding with average or below average offense was missing.

That basically states they failed in all aspects of the game. Have a nice year

2holehitting

I guess if you are a drunkard and a wife beater, with and unkept yard , beer cans and a broken down car on jacks, you would love to hear how your making progress on that the car right? Nice neighbors right? Or how hot your wife is that you beatup regularly. Those you dislike are only telling the truth for your benefit and awareness.

Footasaurus Rex

Congrats to your boy, BB9. Best run production rate stats on the ball club: RC+= 139 (Posey & Pence finished at 133).

The big three plus Pablo are coming back!

Footasaurus Rex

Sabes did a good job of averting disaster by getting Pence inked. Could a shrewder GM have gotten it done for less? Perhaps, but Sabes has saved himself some serious headache and can focus on the holes on the roster.

Not signing Lincecum will not be a disaster. It will only be unfortunate those who suffer the heartbreak of knowing he won’t be a Giant. It sure sounds like the Giants want to get it done. Look at the contract handed to Edwin Jackson as precedent: 4/52. Maybe 4/40 can get it done, but after Pence’s deal, I’d imagine the higher figures prevail in this crazy-money market.

The 14th pick and financial constraints should put a roadblock up that prevents the Giants from going after the bigger names for left field. Who knows who will be targeted via FA or via trade. I think we all know that a minor league platoon would be a major disappointment. It will be exciting to see how LF is addressed.

It may be even more exciting to see how the rotation shapes up. Pitching is the gold standard and the ballpark is a pitchers paradise. They should be knocking on the door. A month to go before the fun really begins.

In the mean time, let’s give a cheer of support for athletic pirates everywhere. May they have the skill to avoid getting knocked off the plank.

walt kovacs

great rookie year alex

the newspaper biz is a total mess…but you are a hardworking, class act

hope the bosses take notice

totalfan62

Thank YOU Alex. You do indeed spoil us!

DrLefty

I’d forgotten or not noticed that the O’s got him from Seattle during the season. He must have been injured this year–he had only about 330 ABs, most of them for Seattle.

He was making $10.5 mil. this year. He’s 31 and a free agent. Has played both corners, 1B, and even a bit of SS/3B. Looks like he’s much better at 1B than in the OF. It was not a good walk year for him, so he may not even match his 2013 salary, let alone top it. And there’s no way he gets a QO, either (because he was traded).

That may be the kind of lower-cost move Sabean makes for OF/1B if he chooses to put the $$ toward pitching.

ClutchUp

Year two for Alex

DrLefty

With Pence’s signing, the Giants have $95 million in contract commitments for 2014. (I’m not counting Zito’s $7 mil. buyout as part of active payroll.) You also figure the following:

1) Around $10 mil. total for the arb-eligible players (Abreu, Arias, Blanco, Mijares, and probably Belt*). Not assuming all of those guys are brought back. Just picking a number.

2) $5 mil. to re-sign Javi Lopez (maybe a touch low).

3) $15 mil. to re-sign Lincecum.

4) $4-6.5 mil. to pick up Vogelsong’s option or re-sign him at a lower rate.

All of that comes out to about $130 mil., and you still don’t have a left fielder, another starting pitcher, or additions to the bench. If you say the payroll is $145 mil. (without Zito’s option), that’s not enough to get it done.

*If Belt is a Super Two, things get interesting with him. Considering his season numbers (best OPS, RC+, etc. on the team), he could be in line for a pretty nice raise. If he goes to arbitration, it could cost the Giants. Look for a multi-year back-loaded deal for him.

Slide Dog

Alex, save some notes for December and January. Maybe you can fire off a few ‘remember when’s’ and hot stove items while the blog’s on winter fumes.

Is it a coincidence that Breaking Bad and the Giants 2013 season ended in similar ways on the same day? The G’s certainly broke bad this year but baseball’s always a joy … gonna miss it.

Footasaurus Rex

tf62,

headed for 1-3 with my “juggernaut” FFL team unless Drew Brees has an off game. I should be fired.

pacman68

can I be your drunk neighbor?

pacman68

Great blog and good job Alex.

avwh

I said to those around me at the ballpark yesterday, “I hope these players realize what a special thing they’ve got here – 10 games under .500, and this crowd has stuck around and is cheering like it’s a playoff game! Nowhere else in baseball is this happening for a sub-.500 team.”

channelclemente

Hey Alex,I’m not sure Discus can take the load of you weekly+ offseason posting schedule. Didn’t you multiple thousands of posts per “article” last year.

channelclemente

Right up there with the ‘heartbreak of psoriasis and the split infinitive’.

channelclemente

I’d say the rumors of ‘bandwagon’ Giants fans is slightly exaggerated. This is first, and foremost a baseball town.

DrLefty

I said “former” student. I don’t take gifts from current ones!

channelclemente

….but she’s open to an apple or two, in the mezzanine.

channelclemente

Thank you.

DrLefty

I agree. That was a knowledgeable, tuned-in crowd yesterday. They knew about Zito. They knew about Bryan Stow. They gasped when Blanco went down. They were hanging on every pitch during the late-inning comeback. It seemed like nobody left, either. It was really amazing. A privilege to be there in person.

ClutchUp

Selig sigh- A Play in game to get into a play in game.

DrLefty

You’re a terrific commenter, too and often make me laugh!

channelclemente

This is a special place to play baseball. We should all be grateful for what we have, this could be Philly. I’ve only been to The Park once, but what an incredible place to play. It’s simply breathtaking. I’d also say there seems to be something very special between this fanbase and the Giants. Who knows if it’s permanent, but right now it palpable.

DrLefty

I’m not sure “a shrewder GM” gets Pence for any less. I bet he would have gone for more on the open market. We watched him all year long and saw the cold spells. The rest of the world sees 27 HRs (in a park not friendly to them), 99 RBIs, 22 SBs, and a .282 batting average. This is Pence’s 7th season (out of 8) hitting 20+ HRs, and his career average is .285. We’re not talking a career year, except for the steals. This is a typical year.

Not to mention he has a great reputation for his work ethic, attitude, and hustle. You bet GMs would have been lining up to sign him. Everyone has new TV money, and the most expensive recent OF signings (B.J. Upton & Ethier) were in line with this deal.

The Giants are lucky Pence preferred them.

channelclemente

Me, I’m an unreconstructed nitpicker, seeking redemption through the magic of Baseball.

Orange Torture

Alex – Thank you for a job well done all season. I looked forward to reading your blog every morning with my mocha.

Sonia H

How funny that you guys keep insisting that Timmy is going to re-sign with the Giants.

There is absolutely no advantage for Timmy to stay in SF.

First, Giants are not willing to pay him more, or give him more years than other teams in the market. In fact, Baggs said that they only want to give him 2 years.

Second, Staying with the Giants is clearly a NON-MOTIVATION status for him. The same run support, defense, lousy bullpen and bla bla bla

Also, and is very important, with Zito gone, he will clearly be the SCAPEGOAT of every bad thing that happens.

On the other hand, signing with a new team is more of a challenge for him. He can benefit from various
aspects: a new coach, better run support, less pressure and a more “neutral expectation from the fans” environment.

Finally, Giants have not been clear with their intentions.

1) First, they say they want to trade him and they start hearing offers

2) Second, they say they are going to give him a QO
because they want the draft pick badly.

3) And now, suddenly, they are in a rush to sign him?

I hope Timmy kicks them to the curb, ala Brian Wilson.

The Oracle

Anytime.

channelclemente

The moves have begun Seveum out with the Cubs, Girardi probably on the phone.

The only thing Tim should be kicking is his own but-t for is not taking the five-year, $100 million he turned down in 2012.

Bapah

He said he doesn’t have that much drawing him back there since his parents are gone.

channelclemente

We’ll see. It’s usually Kabuki theater.

The Oracle

If Lincecum doesn’t come to terms before free agency hits, It definitely puts Sabean in a bind. He HAS to do something about the rotation and he can’t afford to wait forever for Lincecum while everyone else signs elsewhere. I think if he doesn’t sign early, or at least in the first handful of days of free agency, Sabean takes the money that was earmarked for Lincecum and uses it somewhere else.

Bapah

Nicht Scheiße

Bapah

Edit: A play-IN game to get into a play-OFF game.

Keep’n It Real

Sonia…This is the one/only time I will ever respond to you. Your assessment regarding #55 may be true, but there’s a few hurdles in the way.

1) The Giants will (at a minimum) definitely make him a qualifying offer. This offer will be higher than anything he will get in the open market for 2014.

2) Once the Giants make that qualifying offer, any team that signs him (with the exception of those with protected picks) will forfeit their #1 pick in the next amateur draft. Team are not giving up their #1s very easily. Ask Kyle Lohse.

3) Here’s the draft order. The only one here that may be a possibility is Seattle…yet there has been an article or two out there that Seattle isn’t interested and wants to spend elsewhere.

We’ll see who is laughing last when all the sorts itself out.

ClutchUp

That is your most balanced, level headed and unemotional post of all time, but 55 is returning. Both sides will posture, but this is where HE wishes to be. Tim is ALL about his relationships with teammates like Cain and Bum and Buster.
Hopefully you can make it out to ATT in 2014 for one of his starts.
Frequent flier miles via Venezuela.

totalfan62

I’m 2-2. Lost last week by one point. I need some roster upgrades, so gotta search the waiver wire! Good luck, buddy!

Keep’n It Real

It’s not our money, but you have to think they’ll be raising payroll. $130M a second year in a row…after this year of disappointment…will not fly with the fan base. Besides, they know playoffs equal additional revenue.

channelclemente

When and if Lincecum addresses the issue(s) raised in this article, he can revisit if he has any value to anyone.

With the way I’ve puzzled it out for over a year, and come to the same conclusion as Zimmerman from a different direction, I’m convinced. I’ve grasped at my last straw, the ball’s in Lincecum’s court, adapt to his physical reality, or fade away.

ClutchUp

If Girardi shakes free of the Bronx zoo, I. Hope Theo gives him 5 years.

channelclemente

It ought to be an exciting proposition and challenge for Epstein to essentially offer Girardi the same opportunity he did Francona, namely to make history.

Footasaurus Rex

If a deal isn’t done before the exclusive window expires, then he gone. Unless he somehow boomerangs back as a result of the qualifying offer. Put this comment in writing.

Footasaurus Rex

The deal will be 4/50 that the Giants put on the table. 15 AAV is too high. They’ll go length wise on a pitcher who takes the hill every 5th day, like Zito.

IF the Belt in LF experiment is real, and not imaginary, it begins in Winter Ball, soon.

paul in p.v.

We wuz glued to the computer and miffed Mrs. Snorkel for not helping out with dinner preps – but what could we do? What a game!!! )

ClutchUp

Girardi?

Bapah

Do you really think it’s real? I just don’t see it as serious.

Bapah

yes. He has two brothers there though.

channelclemente

You know, if fact I don’t know. But if they’re chasing Abreu in Cuba, a 1B, it’s got to be part of their option tableau. If you get Abreu, your in a pickle if Belt doesn’t have a home besides the infield. Abreu is a clunker as an infielder, I’ve read, but regardless, his skills are unknown. Sabean isn’t a linear planner, he thinks, IMO, like an option trader.

channelclemente

Posey and Pence take on the best they face…

“Hunter Pence, San Francisco Giants outfielder: “I’d have to take Kershaw. Just look at his numbers. There are so many bullpen guys who only have to throw one inning who are so good. The nastiest guy I’ve faced is probably a reliever. Brad Ziegler is really tough for a righty. Ronald Belisario is really good, Kenley Jansen. Craig Kimbrel.”

Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants catcher: “Kershaw, probably. Nastiest pitcher — there’s a difference between the two I think. I think Kimbrel, probably for nastiest.””

I don’t think so. Both he and Crawford dropped 8-12 lbs during the season. Winter ball is a grind and every game is emotionally a world series. Besides Belt survived one yr down there. He’d probably sit in the wrong seat and start a riot.

He played LF and RF in college. He needs 500 fly balls every other week from a Jugs machine or (my favorite) Mr. Fungo Man.

I like a lefthanded leftfielder so that his glove is on the foul line side for dramatic and foul ground catches.

There is a chance, depending what is causing Kemp’s problem, he may be done with baseball. It’s not ‘just’ his ankle, but something more subtle, bone swelling leading to mechanical weakness. Dodger or not, that would be a cryin shame.

sometimes great talents go down in their prime – like Grady Sizemore. He fell off the map with knee injuries.

channelclemente

It happens, J R Richards as well.

Footasaurus Rex

song

ClutchUp

Your beverage of choice?

pacman68

Ice T with a Gorganzola steak sand which.

pacman68

Belt saved Crawfords behind like 1000 times during the playoffs last year.

orngendblck

The Giants had the best record in the NL West for games played within the division. That constituted 76 of the 162 games or almost half the season, so it was no SSS. I believe if the team had played all 162 games as intensely as they played against the Dodgers for example, they would be going to the playoffs so this team underachieved on a huge scale.

Given that, to win next year the team needs to play every game like it matters, they need to play team baseball which means moving runners up and scoring them any way they can (a bunt may be easier than a SF), and in addition to getting back Timmy and Vogey (perhaps for less than the 6.5M option), they need another starter either by trade (relievers for a starter) or free agency and a right-handed hitting complement to Blanco in left.

While most fans probably want a better player in left, I don’t believe it will happen so the team either must use Perez to complement Blanco or find someone else.

channelclemente

An alternate way of looking at Pence value to the Giants. The Giants accumulated 26.3 WAR as a team this year, Pence ended up with 5.3 of that. By those metrics, which are admittedly year specific, with a budget of ~$140MM, Pence earned about $28MM of equity.

ClutchUp

When Quade was fired Theo had a perfect chance at Sandberg who bolted to Phillies Org when golden boy Epstein “had to have” his own guy. Shame, Ryne looks odd in Red.

channelclemente

Sandberg runs is own clubhouse, and the Beane POV about the utility of a manager vs. a GM isn’t shared by Mr. Sandberg. The only question that pairing would have answered is how high Epstein would bounce off the clubhouse wall. Funny thing is, after Melvin, I’m not even sure Beane believes his own BS anymore.

Sonia H

So you are telling me that he has no other option but to sign with the Giants?

Or you are telling me that you could care less about his future, because with the QO he has no future?

It has been two years, two years of struggling and Giants have been unable or unwilling to help him.

This is not Jonathan Sanchez you are talking about.

This “guy” contributed to win the 2010 World Series. (Lets not talk about 2012, even though he helped in the bullpen)

This “guy” won back to back Cy Young’s for the Giants, and other accomplisments that nobody remembers now.

This “guy” lost his velocity pitching for the Giants.

This “guy” got paid according to the market, nothing more, nothing less. I say that, because you guys always complain about his salary.

If that is the feeling about somebody like Lincecum. Yes, I guess, there will be more “Brian Wilson” incidents in the future.

Sonia H

One year contract with any of those teams?, fine by me.

If that is what it takes for him to continue with his career.

channelclemente

We can only hope.

Sonia H

I know you hate Lincecum, clemente.

You call him a “circus act” and dead weight.

Your opinion about him is biased and not even worth reading.

channelclemente

Twerpophilia, circus acts perform tricks, when the tricks get old, no one cares. He could become a ;legitimate pitcher, that seems a rational choice. In any case, troll on mopsey. It’s silly and adolescent to either love or hate any athlete in a world where FA rules. But then trolling isn’t a thoughtful profession.

Sonia H

I dont see no love declarations from Timmy? I havent read anything.

Sonia H

As I said, your opinion about about Lincecum has no merits.

I rather read John Smoltz.

DrLefty

Belt played OF in college, in the minors, in winter ball in 2011, and with the Giants in 2011 (more than he played 1B, in fact). Bochy put Brett Pill out there in major league games this season with FAR less OF experience. Same with Tanaka.

I doubt they’re going to ask Belt to play winter ball after a full, successful season. (That would be kind of like “You got all A’s and B’s, but you have to go to summer school.”) He can play OF throughout spring training if that’s what they turn out to need. He’s done it before.

He plays LF like he isn’t quite sure how to find it. His routes are atrocious, his angles are mysteriously wrong and his first step is criminally late. So, I’d say he’s forgotten what he knew. My point is he’s a dull knife defensively, and needs sharpening, no matter how or where he does it.

PerSpeier35

Pence needs to buy Buster a steak dinner every week for the rest of his life. Buster’s two month slump must have earned Hunter an extra $10 million for all the extra RBI’s he picked up that Buster missed.
I’m still convinced that Buster got AT&T’d one too many times earlier in the summer. He seemed to change his approach, letting nearly all first strikes go by, no matter how juicy, and often looked as though he was content to hit singles up the middle. Surely he’ll get back on track next season.
On a side note; Madbum showed up at our company in the East Bay last week, trying out our Western products. Word got around quickly and a few people chatted with him. I missed him but did have to step around a few snot rockets on the carpet (lol). It would be cool to have him pitching our products.

Nipper

I enjoyed the Giants final game on TV of course. Pay to watch this team? I’m not stupid or soft-headed. Why pay for inept ball when it counted? The Giants were failures this season although they finished strong when the pressure was off. Still Sabean better bring in some new blood or else another season of failure is inevitable.

DrLefty

Well, he didn’t get that “Baby Giraffe” nickname playing first base.

DrLefty

You’ll help her with dinner for the whole long, long off-season. Sighhhhhhh.

ClutchUp

Amen my salty dog brother!

ClutchUp

Brady Anderson is still popular in the Castro!

Anti-Lasorda

Pence’s $16.5M for next year is only 500K over budget. This isn’t an over pay short term.
We’ll see here in year 5….. OUCH…..
I was reading that Timmy may end up taking the Q.O. depending on his mindset. To my surprise, the consensus was anything over 2 years being in the $10M per range not the $15M per range. So the train of though is 1 for $14.5M, 2 for $26M, 3 for $33M, 4 for $40M… at least so the article thought;.
I still think its going to be much more than that. Looking at the pitching in the market TL%% is easily in the top 2 or 3 guys available for more than 1 or 2 years.

Bapah

I can remember about midway in the season that Craw changed his stance (more upright), was waiting for ball to get deeper (a la Scoots), and had a quicker swing (much faster rotation of body) and he was hitting the crap out of the ball. Then, the finger deal and he just went downhill. Also, during the season, he looked to me as if he had gained a bunch of weight, then someone here said he had lost a bunch of weight.

So, what’s up? What did I miss in seeing an upward trend, then tank-o-meter hits perigee. Was it just the finger? Long season? WTH did I miss?

ClutchUp

Nelson Cruz activated
Dh-ing and batting 6th

channelclemente

When they said route, he thought button hook was what they meant. Seriously, he just doesn’t seem to pick the ball up off the bat, and always seem to adjusting his route to the ball as he gets a grip on it’s trajectory.

ClutchUp

How about Jim Harbaugh to Detroit after several more Jim Schwartz meltdowns … or … Jimmy goes to the Big Apple and Coaches @ NYG or NYJets?

Ladies and Gentleman: David Shaw, your next 49er Head Coach.

channelclemente

Who cares, 139 days to pitchers and catchers.

Footasaurus Rex

woof woof!

channelclemente

Just my two cents worth, but he seems to be dipping (for power maybe) and trying to hit the pitch a bit harder. You’d think that head motion would degrade his contact rate/efficiency and pitch recognition.

Footasaurus Rex

and playing left field for your 2014 SF Giants ???

seriously though, tough assignment after the layoff.

Footasaurus Rex

i think the injury cluster fuggled his mechanics then when he was healed he had a hard time getting the timing down. fatigue played a factor. Shame on Botchy for letting him dip below .250. Stats matter and Botchy is not a bright, thoughtful man.

Footasaurus Rex

I understand that progression and believe 4/40 is a good and fair deal. but as I’ve said, I think the market will give him what Edwin Jackson got from Cubs last year: an overpay at 4/52.

Footasaurus Rex

Dan Haren getting 1/13 comes to mind also for AAV.

Keep’n It Real

Don’t be surprised if Shaw ends up being the Raiders coach down the line. His wife loves Palo Alto, so he wouldn’t have to move. Stadium issues would need to be squared away (staying in Oakland) before he ever signs on.

Matthew

I am interpreting what I hear out of LA to be ready-made excuse making for when they are eliminated from the playoff.”well, we battled, but these key injuries….”

I would take Cruz…no worries. He produced in 2013 and you would have to think he was clean. I don’t see this being melky 2.0.

ClutchUp

As a coach you’ll prolly look back and see this: 1. Finger 2. Started over thinking soon after the struggle. 3. Started compensating by tweaking another area of his swing.
What did. I notice? No separation between stride and swing/he was dipping his back shoulder for some loss of power. On his recent blog he said he lost 15lbs. Too me he’s a little thick in his lower half for a SS

True, I don’t put much stock in playing all these games when the pressure was off. It’s a poor way to realistically evaluate the team for next season. The only thing I will give the Giants credit for is not just giving up and giving 10 percent the rest of the way. Yesterday’s game a case in point.

Sabean already said in his last press conference of the season that the Giants are pursuing another starting pitcher whether or not Lincecum is signed, so the Giants will be trying to do something with the rotation, whether or not Lincecum signs or not. And I would not be surprised if they take a flier like they did with Gaudin, Moscoso, Vogelsong, Petit, this off-season as well, to give them another option in the rotation.

MLBSF

I just feel with all the brown-nosing clutchup, channelclemente, totalfan62 and bapah did earlier in this thread toward Alex, they should have also offered heart-felt apologies for contributing to the small number of people who post here.
Anyone who peeks in has to think this is an invitation-only chess club or something the way people have hijacked the blog for their own Facebook site or something. I’ve never seen anything like it.
I was hoping my changes to the blog format would mean more members, but I can see Alex and I have our work cut out for us over the winter trying to bring on new people. smh
Anyhow, I will be posting my end of season grades either tonight or tomorrow. Just a head up.

Bapah

What a buffoon.

MLBSF

I rest my case. smh

channelclemente

fudge waver

ClutchUp

You’re worse than Gonorrhea

Hopper15

Just my two cents but I don’t really want us to sign the Cuban first basemen. I just don’t like the idea of Belt moving to left field. His bat is only getting better and he’s a great defender at first base. It’s cliche, but if it’s not broke don’t fix it.

I would rather we just sign a left fielder like Corey Hart and not risk weakening our selves defensively at LF and First base

Another stupid thing is that the playoffs are on TBS. COME ON AMERICA …. Should be primetime ESPN or FOX.

pacman68

You have a great point.

pacman68

I have to say I’m pulling for the Pirates cause my buddy Curt. He rooted for the Giants for me and I have his back. He has suffered enough. Let’s go Pirates.

Bapah

I didn’t see a dip, CC, it just looked liked he was loading up more slowly. Where he had a quick bat before, he became a hair later in getting to the ball. I thought he was having some vision issue.

CU, I thought he looked thick also, and as I mentioned his range was way down. It looked like he was giving up on balls he would have had 2 months ago. I’m not as big of a “stride” guy as you, but his load up was more feeble and he wasn’t quick. Maybe thicker waist even though he lost those twelve lbs.

Footsy, It’s for sure that injury messed him up, but it was more than just his finger. “Injury cluster” is right on.

If this becomes a pattern for him the proposed move to 2nd becomes more of a reality. BUT, Panik sort of “scrude” the pooch this year and isn’t on many “to good to fail” lists this winter. BCraw is it for a couple of years, anyway. I don’t think Adrianza is that close, and so far, not an overall improvement as long as BC isn’t hurt.

Bapah

What a departure for Bruce. He sounded tired.

Bapah

Ditto

Bapah

God, NO! Not FuxTv

pacman68

Ron Washington reminds me a lot of Dusty Baker. The guys make horrible calls. Starting a young pitcher in an elimination game.

walt kovacs

ok…sophmore year….

i guess i still havent gotten over the ws hangover

walt kovacs

ya

gotta play every elimination game like there is no tomorrow

and doofus never did that

wonder if they both use the same brand of coke

The Oracle

Yes. What was said?

walt kovacs

giants have a connection with the bucs

bonds is still besties with bonilla, and his kid is bonds’ godson

and craw’s future bro in law is a starter…and should get a start should the bucs get to the lcs

walt kovacs

he got better when the season was in the toilet

i will bet you he goes back to his old habits when the games mean something again

remember…he hits a ton in the minors too

Bapah

If Price ever gets over some placement issues, he’ll be bada$$. Lot to like there.

The Oracle

What did Bochy say?

Hopper15

Wrong, he got better when he finally changed his grip.

ClutchUp

Looks like Full Throttle Pence is on KNBR in a few seconds.

Bapah

It’s a long interview. You’re on a computer, go listen to it. He seems relaxed and forthcoming. it was over 20 minutes long.

Sandoval needs to “put up” or …(fill in the blanks) Feels 55 will be back. Pence’s intangibles govern his worth. Belt was super resistant but coaches understood why because he had tons of success “doing it his way” but Bochy said moving back in the box was as HUGE as the grip because he stopped smothering and hooking the ball. Demonic Brown finally told Belt his transformation happened within 3 days. The Benching in Phillie was by design because BB9 started waffling again. Bochy said the Wilson item was baffling implying that Willie may have embarrassed himself by his actions.

Matthew

Thanks much..will listen now

ClutchUp

Pretty harsh. Bake and Wash are good baseball people.

DrLefty

Both wrong. He got better months before he changed his grip. He was even better afterwards.

They started it. The Cardinals did more damage in 2011. The A’s finished it in 2012.

channelclemente

He does go there during a season, I don’t find that odd at all.

channelclemente

My better half is a Rangers fan (go figure) undergoing Cubs fan detoxification, so I follow them off and on. For the life of me, I can’t understand their cluelessness on pitching, give Ryan’s at the helm. But what really has been their downfall, IMO, is playing baseball in that Park in July and August. It gets to 125-150 degrees down on the field sometimes for weeks on end. Their teams usually disintegrate in late August through mid September. It’s brutal.

Matthew

…and we complain about our base running…yikes.

E-B

good read; thx for the u/d on Bochy’s i-view, etc.

will be checking back on here for news on the Timmy contract negotiations. Both sides hafta play the game of posturing/brinksmanship, so expect a wile ride.

btw, I do find it ‘interesting’ the Baggs (I gather from this thread), lists some numbers for Timmy’s contract, based on “industry sources,” less than 1 day from the start of negotiations. Who the hay are these ‘industry sources’ other than the SFG F.O.?

also, I don’t recall Baggs ever tweeing similar “industry sources” numbers a day after it was announced that negotiations began w/ Pence.

just noticing the difference here…*but I don’t follow Baggs too often, so if he did sent out a similar tweet, my bad.)

E-B

thx for the u/d.

Matthew

He has untrustworthy eyebrows.

E-B

ba–
I thought Price’s location, at least when he pitched against Timmy & Co., was XLNT.

Luv that guy’s EZ flowing motion. And Joey Mo catching, or should i say, stopping the baseball on a dime, is fantastic.

channelclemente

The Rangers are chasing Price.

channelclemente

He was OK, but go look deeper at the drivers of his OPS. In any case, you pick the adjective, but August and September were remarkable jumps in performance. Plus ‘he made adjustments’ as pitcher adapted to him, which he wasn’t doing as well earlier. He’s actually looking for low inside pitches as pitches to hit, now. Now, if he can find LF on the outside pitch, we’ll have a Beltasaurus in the house. He could win a batting title with that.

Bapah

It just wasn’t very good here to start. Sure looks OK now though.

MLBSF

Well that’s not very nice. Think of all the hard work I will be putting into them, smh

Well I don’t like my personal letter from Larry Baer one bit. Looks like he has thrown in the towel already for next season. smh

=====

I won’t pretend our road will be easy in 2014. The competition in the NL
West is as formidable as it has ever been. In response to our two World
Championships, our division opponents have stocked their rosters. As
vigorously as we’re working to bolster our lineup for next year –
filling spots in our starting rotation and the outfield in particular –
we won’t change who we are.

Laurence M. Baer

President & CEO

smh

channelclemente

fudge waver.

DrLefty

Agreed–he was a different hitter after the adjustments, but it’s an oversimplification when people say he was bad before Aug. 1 and good after. He was bad the first three weeks (after the flu), good for several months, and had a slump in July (but .709 is still better than Posey after the All-Star Break or Pence for a long stretch).

If the post-Aug. 1 Belt is who he is going forward, that is very, very good indeed, and I agree he could be a batting title candidate before too long.

channelclemente

You should go take a Brandons blog peak, if you haven’t recently.

South City Jim

I actually think Wash made the right move with Longoria coming up but this has turned into a potential disaster.

ClutchUp

Mike Maddox = Ugh

ClutchUp

Drews Brees is possessed!

DrLefty

I subscribe, so I get them to my email as soon as they get posted. I really like both of them–Crawford is very grounded and mature, and Belt is hilarious.

South City Jim

Bud better at least have a winning record next year or he’s gone: Take yesterday’s L/U and add Cabrerra, Quentin, Blanks and Alonso. With Medica on board, look for them to move someone for a pitcher.

Anti-Lasorda

Read between the lines….
Timmy… he gone….
Or not.
LOL

ClutchUp

Sarcoma

ClutchUp

Alex Pavlovic on KNBR @ 8pm

channelclemente

Madducks, as he’s fondly known.

Matthew

Don’t go Sonia on me.

Bapah

Bay Area vs. Deep in the Heart of…

Matthew

Paying homage to ” just wondering”, I was just wondering if smh stands for ” suffering massive hemorrhoids” …I ask because you seem permanently upset with everything.

Matthew

Wow…horrible call in the TB/ Tex game….

Footasaurus Rex

I happen to be an ‘industry source’. I’m leaking 4/50. What’ve you heard from other “sources”.

ClutchUp

Any recap. I’m @ work. No radio/TV?

ClutchUp

Popcorn bet.
He’s a Giant!

DrLefty

Two on, two out, Rays up 4-2. Texas CF Leonys Martin dives for a sinking liner and traps it on a bounce. SIX umps & they can’t get it right. The TBS announcer called it right as it happened!

Matthew

Two out single to center with runners going…CF trapped it ..clearly…LF line ump (Dreckman) called him out .

Matthew

Cost TB at least that 1 run…in a 4-2 game in the 7th.

stickman

Now that the returns are in the controversy over our first baseman, for this season at least, can be laid to rest. Here are some stats and recall, if you will, that the NL has 120 starting position players. So finishing @ #60 in any category is dead average:
BA .289 19th
Hits 147 T-33
R. 76 21st
RBI 67 tied for 36th
HR 17 41st
2B 39 6th
BB 52 29th
OBP .360 T-14th
SLG .481 T-15th
OPS .841 T-14th
For BB9′s second full season, that’s not a bad resume’.
We have to consider in both the runs scored and RBI categories that Brandon was not elevated to the sweet spot where #24 used to bat till late in the season, so that in a full year these categories can be expected to jump a bunch. Haven’t accessed a site that lists the leaders in XBH’s, but with 39 doubles, 4 three-baggers and 17 HR’s his total is exactly 60. That, my friends is star quality hitting.

Bapah

Source of indigestion.

Matthew

…cue a response coming from a Cub fans 2 hole….

Bapah

2 Hole… How appropriate.

DrLefty

Belt was tied for 10th in the NL in XBH & 26th in MLB.

That young man and the Mrs. are going to be able to afford some baby giraffes when he gets his new contract.

Footasaurus Rex

I did that on MLB.com as the Oracle may have as well. The Oracle initially posted that Brandon Belt was 11th in XBH and I discovered that Marlon Byrd and Anthony Rizzo were tied for fifth.

Matthew

Sam Fuld is a BALL PLAYER

Footasaurus Rex

I’m with you, they should get that done by end of spring break.

Footasaurus Rex

Giants could use one of those for LF. Not too pricey and has a head for the game. Blanco not so much. Nate McClouth was proferred by Vegas GF.

Long Time Giants Fan

Neither do I. Any AL rep in WS other than them. They make the playoffs every year, and then stink. But looks like they won’t be doing that this year. Yay!

Matthew

Boy, Ranger fans have gone through Hell in the last few seasons….you can see them wearing it. Just think what that must be like…trolls, take note.

Nelson Cruz…post season closer

ClutchUp

save your energy
a five yr old could grade the season

Footasaurus Rex

Suppose Sabes could be licking his chops for David DeJesus? I would think so.

ClutchUp

Giants will be trading with the Rays over the Winter…

Matthew

Bochy for Maddon?!?!?!

BOOM, get it done!!!!!!!

Footasaurus Rex

Belt for Price ?

Footasaurus Rex

What’s the price on that belt?

paul in p.v.

Gawd I’m so depressed. / snorkel

goodsam73

pac – share your irritation when the majority of the playoff games will be on TBS not broadcast TV ++ MLB does not make it possible to purchase post-season TV. TBS added to my cable will cost $40 a month MORE. isn’t MLB interested in MORE eyes on the game ??? the games should be on broadcast networks NOT these high cost cable packages [like ESPN + TBS] — and then to add insult to injury we have to endure “guess who” on FOX for the W/S — rant off….

goodsam73

loved all 3 of the players blogs this year – inside baseball was fun !

WillieMaysField

15th in slg is amazing considering his road/ home split this year. Mays field killed his power numbers.

ClutchUp

No because news has trickled back that Abreu has a clunky funky swing and our RF already swings similar. Players who wear #9 usually don’t get traded.

ClutchUp

Frenchy Bochy travelled a lot as a child. Now he’s a Cali guy.

ClutchUp

Deuce he’s gonna come by and “lay a” deuce!

ClutchUp

Tk you!

ClutchUp

Tk you Dr. L.

Moooooooooose

While failing in all aspects of the game can be considered bad, it’s still ten games better than the Cubs. Who evidently did worse than failing in all aspects of the game.

Moooooooooose

“Your opinion about him is biased and not even worth reading.” That there is the pot calling the kettle black!

Walter Guest

That organization deserves the win.
The fan base does not.

carmot

Does anybody actually believe we might go hard after Masahiro Tanaka? I don’t, but wish we could. Do the Giants put any stock into Todd Linden? Have they asked him all about Ma-kun already? Linden was a teammate with Tanaka for two seasons on the Rakuten Eagles. I’d figure that’s worth some insight, right? Or not.

What could we offer TB to get David Price? The 2 years of Price would be an awesome bridge to our young starters, and we might have a good chance of retaining Price long-term, if he were to experience pitching here. Are both Loney and K Johnson FA’s? Maybe Sandoval as their DH/1B? Along with…? Big deal, LAA can dangle Trumbo or Bourjos and they’d win that bid hands down, right?

Only other I see as a potential trade candidate is James Shields, if KC figures they’re not well positioned enough with only limited budget upgrades. Especially if Ervin Santana isn’t retained. And I think he’s gone.

I’d be interested in Chris Sale, but he’s not available. No SEA starter is either. MIN and HOU have nobody. MIA doesn’t sound like they want to trade from their surplus of talent (yet!). Cliff Lee is so pricey it’s ridiculous and he’s got no-trade protection. NYM are trying to build up not down now. MIL Gallardo or Lohse? But they’re getting Braun back and sounds like Hart is staying put, they’ve a shot. Almost every other team has a shot too.

Hopper15

You’re wrong on this one. The slugging took off when he changed his grip.

Walter Guest

I thought it would be interesting to evaluate the WAR of all the Giant position players as if they all had 600 plate appearances. Of course this is stretching out some rediculaously small samples but, what the hell. Here they are based on Fangraphs numbers:

9.9 Juan Perez

4.8 Buster Posey

4.7 Hunter Pence

4.2 Brandon Belt

3.3 Gregor Blanco

3.1 Angel Pagan

3.0 Marco Scutero

3.0 Ehire Adrianza

2.4 Pablo Sandoval

2.4 Brandon Crawford

1.6 Andres Torres

1.5 Juaquin Arias

1.2 tony Abreu

0.7 Brett Pill

0.0 Hector Sanchez

0.0 Francisco Peguero

-1.3 Guillermo Quiroz

-1.6 Nick Noonan

-1.8 Kensuke Tanaka

-1.9 Roger Kieschnik

-4.8 Jeff Francoeur

-6.0 Cole Gillespie

-6.7 Johnny Monell (Only 9 PA’s.)

So we have a clear winner in the September look-see and Adrianza comes out okay. The rest are pretty bad.

Sonia H

Unlike many others here, my opinion about Lincecum is positive and I wish him well.

DrLefty

As I said, he got “even better” after Aug. 1 (when he changed the grip). I was arguing more with the idea that he was nowhere the entire season before that. In fact, he’d done pretty well after a slow start. The change after Aug. 1 put the improvement into hyper-speed.

ClutchUp

Happy 29th Birthday today to Matt Cain.

408 svl

i would like to see a trade in any shape or form. maybe, to get a on OF or 1B. i believe BELT is willing to play LEFT FIELD if they can find a 1B who is good offensively and could play the position. believe me, they will spend money on pitching.

ClutchUp

No…. Linden’s love of the game is providing for his family similar to Shane Loux the MiLB lifer with his family.
I personally don’t like Cuban Abreu’s swing. Something odd.

Matthew

Nice to see you have recovered from your spell of being furious and raging….

Keep’n It Real

I know he may have someone doing this for him, but I thought it was interesting that Tim Lincecum’s Facebook page shared this link:

With Hunter Pence in the fold, Brian Sabean and San Francisco Giants set their sights on keeping two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum from free agency

pacman68

I wouldn’t feel bad for Ranger fans. At least they are in it every year. I would take that over being an Astros fan any day.

ClutchUp

Mets 2 yr contract Terry Collins
Twins 2 yr contract Skipper Gardy

Bapah

Why is it that most most fans are willing to believe that one position in baseball can be sacrificed to mediocrity over any other?

There are built-in biases to handedness in many positions on a baseball team. Four positions are verboten to left-handed players, C, 3B, SS, 2B. The three outfield positions are relatively unbiased other than the LH-LF and RH-RF tendency some coaches and mgrs. have, although most don’t.

The other bewildering tendency many people exhibit is that nearly everyone believes that poor defense and bad glove work should never be an accepted trait of an infielder, other than one position, first base. Yet other than the pitcher and catcher it is the one position that touches the ball in-play more than any other.

Another fallacy is that it makes little difference whether a first baseman is right-handed or left-handed. Well, it doesn’t take long to see how well a righty does making a double play versus a lefty making the same play. That leaves out, completely, how many RH-1B miss a pick-off that a LH-1B would have made.

So, the next time you think putting a duffer over on first may be acceptable, think about who were the greatest first basemen and what opportunities your left-handed child will have in baseball.

[Disclaimer: I might have been a left-handed first baseman]

MLBSF

I don’t feel bad for them either but it would be hell rooting for the Rangers. They can’t win the big game. That window is closing and still not one championship.
And when you think about it, here on October 1st, both the Rangers and the 111-loss Astros are in the same position — out of the playoffs.
All Texas’ hard work finishing 20 games over to make it into the playoffs …scratching and fighting .. all down the tubes. Brutal. I would be pissed off if I was a Rangers fan.

Footasaurus Rex

Good post. I think you’ve explained why Belt should not be pushed in to left field and why Posey should just continue to catch – if he can’t be as tough as Yadier Molina, then he’s just not as good as YM.

Also you’ve managed to hint at the notion that moving Brandon Crawford to 2B is accepting of mediocrity.

You’ve covered a few bases here and then some. Kudos to you, good sir.

Bapah

Thank you. A real post.

Bapah

Thanks, however I DO think Buster has the potential to become a HOF 3rd baseman, too.

Keep’n It Real

Bleacher Report Top 100 Minor League Prospects

#86 Clayton Blackburn

#34 Kyle Crick

ClutchUp

Wow, Classy Cubs owner Ricketts and Cubs organizaton …
Dozens of Ron Santo – fans grieving hand written posters found in dumpster. Short memories I guess.
Ronnie should have gotten to the HOF prior to leaving earth…

I’m convinced Maddon (Rays manager) is a riverboat gambler. He let Price pitch a complete game 5-2 win against Texas to rest his bullpen. Price was on the ropes accept for 2-3 innings. Still he got through it. I ask myself why Maddon took such a risk, and then I recalled he has no fanbase, and lives off the dole from MLB. Now on to Cleveland…what a battle cry.

avwh

Price’s history against the Rangers certainly couldn’t have given Maddon confidence: he was just 1-7 vs. TEX before the playoff.

channelclemente

Boy, you’ve got that right. The heart of the Ranger’s LU were hitting over .350 against Price. He also had two pickoffs of runners at 1B. Sam Fuld also had one of the headiest base running plays I’ve ever seen. He timed the Ranger’s reliever’s motion and stole 3B off him when his foot was in the air. The pitcher blew the throw to 3B, and then Fuld took home.

Sunset Boy

The Rangers remind me of a certain Bay Area sports team: championship talent, always a contender, never wins the big game.

I’ll give you a hint:

The San Jose Sharks

ClutchUp

Learned a TON as Mike Scioscia’s then Number One right hand man Bench Coach (Maddon)

Footasaurus Rex

then you better start hitting him some grounders, stat.

channelclemente

He flips that coin as a NYY manager, he’s criticized if he succeeds, and crucified if he fails.

Bapah

Madden may be a riverboat gambler, but I like the way he thinks. Just a little off center. It’s certainly not something Bochy would have ever done. I’ve been following Madden’s tweets for a good long time. He has no aversion to technology and is a relative breath of fresh air when compared to some old school “baseball” guys. I, too, was completely surprised with Price pitching the ninth; not so much the 8th. I wonder how his players feel about him, but from a distance, I really like the “cut of his jib.”

Footasaurus Rex

Fire Bochy. Hire Maddon.

Footasaurus Rex

Guess they didn’t get the memo on Edwin Escobar and Mac Williamson. BR doesn’t know how to read memos.

channelclemente

Why?

Footasaurus Rex

shake it up baby, twist and shout.

Footasaurus Rex

Bochy is losing whatever edge he had though. Game passing him by. Career mark under .500. A season like 2013 helps explain why.

channelclemente

Maddon, as I said below, has the room to be a free spirit in TB, a non-franchise. His approach might not be quite as popular elsewhere. He is a great baseball technician, with with a bunch of guys, most of which will eave at FA, who love the latitude he gives them.

channelclemente

It’s one thing to be ‘quaint’ foothills, it’s quite another to state pseudo facts absent context. You’re about two inches from provocatively ignorant.

ClutchUp

This concept is one that’s as sound as any in and around baseball. The less fulfilled with BB acumen always seem to point to the what-if-unknowns. We all see great plays by BB9, me included and most of us remember how excellent J.T. Snow, Stretch McCovey, Keith Hernandez, Wally Joiner and Wes Parker were especially: (1) on throws in the dirt from the left side of their infielders OR from the second-baseman involved in turning a double play with a runner barreling down on them and (2) On starting 3-6-3 or 3-6-1 double plays OR (3) when crashing home plate and throwing to either 3rd or 2nd on bunt coverages OR (4) when ranging far to their their glove hand side to field a ground ball and spin and throw to their Pitcher covering.

Other fans when dreaming of offensive up-grades often dwell on the sublime/absurd when they say “Well, how do we know the team wouldn’t have hung on and won the game anyway” without the above average contributions from the “left-handed first-sacker” ?

For me its all about trying to NOT give up more than three outs per inning. The modern day starting pitcher has been disgustedly dialed back and slotted into “giving us a quality” outing which means 6 (only) + and then all the specialty aspects of pitching have reared its ugly head.

Left-handed first-baseman of course are not mandatory, it just makes the flow of the game much more easier. That’s not to say there haven’t been tremendous right-handed first baseman also within the history of baseball.

channelclemente

Maybe the funniest first page I’ve ever seen on a Newspaper front page.

Maddon’s ready for the big stage. Too bad Bochy is on the books til 2016. Someone else will get Joe when his contract is up. Enough with managing for a non-franchise that makes the playoffs more often than the Giants in a tougher division.

channelclemente

He would NEVER fit with this franchise, but he is a perfect fit for the Cubs, to pick a convenient example.

Footasaurus Rex

All I need is an inch.

channelclemente

History seems to suggest otherwise.

Footasaurus Rex

That would be a good move.

ClutchUp

You need to throw a bullpen to get the toxins out of your Salty Dog noggin

ClutchUp

that’s an untouchable line…

ClutchUp

Hilarious (fall-out syndrome)

Moooooooooose

You realize in Tampa, Footy East says, “Fire Maddon, hire Bochy,” right? And in Atlanta and St. Louis, the Footys there say the same thing.

ClutchUp

With the 49ers moving — most of the traffic will ease up trying to get out of the Stick.

Is Robin Ventura safe? Did Marc Trestman know he needed to try to prevent the other team from scoring. This is their curse for casting aside Brian Urlacher.

ClutchUp

That is true. I will provide the Holy Water. We can baptize her in the SF Bay.

Keep’n It Real

David Schoenfield of ESPN has…on numerous occasions…incorrectly stated that the A’s gave the Giants the territorial rights to Santa Clara County (fact: MLB did as part of current Giants ownership purchase).

Now he’s picking the A’s to win the World Series.

I asked this question on his recent chat but got zero response. It’s a fair question

Question: Bartolo Colon is 40 years old…been caught taking PEDs,,,and is currently reaching 95 MPH. Are you ready for the A’s to win a second tainted WS, after the “Syringe Brothers” won in 1989?

BTW…I heard on a recent interview (someone like Buster Olney, but I can’t say it was him) that Bartolo Colon is the #1 guy ticking off other baseball people right now. They know he isn’t doing this naturally, but he hasn’t been caught (again).

Bapah

OK, Clutch, that’s two in a row. What’s with the crazy evangelicals? I know enough normal crazy people, I don’t need any of these dingbats clustering around this funny farm.

Bapah

OK, Sportsfans, time for a little blast from our SS, BCraw’s past. Let’s go back to a little Squirrel interlude.

A guy at the end of the line (like Colon, possibly) would have nothing to lose by using. If he gets caught, he’s out of baseball, but if he doesn’t use, he can’t compete and he’s out of baseball anyway

paul in p.v.

Geez I dreamt we had one more 3-game series left, and was glad cuz I wanted to see more of Monell at the plate – then I woke up and it was Oct. 1. ( snorkel

Selig: “I’d like to introduce you to the new COO of Major league baseball.”

Manfred: “Well golll-ly!”

ClutchUp

Monte Poole is headed off to Comcast Sports Net Bay Area.

MLBSF

you said it

DrLefty

I noticed that, too. And that Facebook page is managed by “Team Lincecum” (his agency), not fans or Tim himself. I thought it was a very interesting sign, given that the piece points toward the Giants re-signing him.

Keep’n It Real

Robert Murray ‏@RobertMurrayMLB11m
RT @JesseSanchezMLB: Source: #Giants have already watched #Cuba’s Jose Abreu work out three times leading up to this week’s showcases.

Footasaurus Rex

WOW! just like that.

channelclemente

Outcomes can look instantaneous, but really, just being happy in your work, grasshopper, does the trick.

channelclemente

Sounds like a serious kicking of the tires. That’s what they lacked, scouting film.

ClutchUp

I hear there are MAJOR reservations on Abreu’s swing. He swings like Foothills and converses like MLBSF.

ClutchUp

i’m gonna HATE replay. Even during the 49er/Ram game I thought the auto reviews broke the offensive rythmn. Last nights trapped ball was really missed by SIX umpires. Come on. Get better umpires or demand that they “become” better!